Hello! I'm looking for a Phoenix neck with a maple board (and machine heads, if possible) for my x189. The rosewood board is fine but I prefer the feel of maple. Also wanting an x135 pick guard or a way that I can get a template for one. Not sure if the humbuckers would still line up and would just have to cut in the single coil then, if they did. I'm thinking I'd rather just make a new one instead of desecrating an original. I like that look on a phoenix and I'm trying to get the best of both worlds for my 'custom shop' Phoenix. Thanks for your consideration.

Are you looking to put a pickguard on an X189???? The X130/135 should work, the bridge area would probably be a little funky - and the third knob. If you're going to cut in a single coil why not go all in and design a pickguard of your own?

The early and late Phoenix's had completely different necks... they may bolt right on with the correct intonation, but I wouldn't make that assumption. The older ones had nuts at the end of the fretboard (like a gibson) whereas the later necks had a nut in a slot (like a Fender). I've often said that I like the way the newer Phoenix's with no pickguard look, but I think the older ones play better ( you know what they say about opinions though...).

Good luck and all, but this being a collector site, you can understand that more than a few of us may be cringing right now... Cheers, Mike.

Thanks for the input! I'm thinking I'll just keep her the stock. The body is just so beat up and I know I won't be able to give her as nice of a paint job as the original one. On the other hand, I may just hang onto the parts for spares and look for one in good condition. Actually, there is an x189 in the 'neighborhood' that the guy said is virtually spotless. He wants $180. Pretty good price I'd say. Only negative is the Switchmasters are missing. We'll see.

The early and late Phoenix's had completely different necks... they may bolt right on with the correct intonation, but I wouldn't make that assumption. The older ones had nuts at the end of the fretboard (like a gibson) whereas the later necks had a nut in a slot (like a Fender). I've often said that I like the way the newer Phoenix's with no pickguard look, but I think the older ones play better ( you know what they say about opinions though...).

Good luck and all, but this being a collector site, you can understand that more than a few of us may be cringing right now... Cheers, Mike.

yep. need to stick with the same style/years neck you already have. if the trc is at the headstock you need to replace it with a like one.... but there may even be differences there too... one neck is wider at the heel than the other too, but I don't remember if it's the older or newer necks...but you can run into fitment issues because of it....

here's a x-145VS that I switched over to a rosewood neck... took me a while to find the correct style. I tried one that was "different", and it did not line up correctly with the bridge placement....